Carmel Planning Commission opens door toward less restrictions on legal pot.

Signaling a more relaxed attitude toward recreational marijuana in Carmel, the Planning Commission asked the city’s planning staff on Wednesday to create ordinances allowing people to grow plants outdoors, and possibly even allow retail sales.

Commissioner Julie Wendt said she is ready to allow pot vending when the legalization of recreational marijuana goes into effect next January under Prop. 64, pointing to increased tax revenues for the city.

“I actually think, too, just my own personal opinion, that it is legal, alcohol is legal, we allow alcohol in town, some should be able to sell legal marijuana and tax it,” she said.

The discussion at Wednesday's Planning Commission meeting was a distinct shift from two years ago, when both the commission and the City Council voted against sales or distribution of medicinal marijuana, citing protection of the city’s character.

Based on that history, Marc Wiener, the city’s community planning and building director, brought the current commission a set of restrictive ordinances to consider ahead of legalization in January 2018.

One of the recommended ordinances would allow only indoor cultivation of up to six personal plants, which are allowed under Prop. 64. Commissioners said they weren’t sure why plants couldn’t be grown outdoors, out of view of the public. Three residents told commissioners they wanted to see outdoor plants allowed.

“I think this is an opportunity for Carmel to show its Bohemian side and allow the outdoor cultivation of one or two potted plants per residence,” resident Kevin D’Angelo said.

The commissioners also told planning staff they are not interested in requiring permits for growing plants indoors. Wendt called requiring permits for something already allowed under state law, “kind of redundant.”

Earlier in the public hearing, resident Jeff Baron argued against any type of permitting.

“This is what liberalism is about. It’s about allowing people to be people and to do things that don’t harm other people. And for the city to require permits to do something that not only the citizens of the state, but also Carmel to say it’s OK, strikes me as bizarre,” Baron said.

The commission voted unanimously to have the planning staff come back with new proposed ordinances that address personal use and cultivation, plus the retail sales.

Wiener says he anticipates he will bring the issue back to the commission at the March 1 meeting.